Fort Young HotelThe Key to Dominica2015-07-29T14:41:01Zhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/feed/atom/WordPressfortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=41042014-12-23T12:13:40Z2014-12-23T12:13:40ZDominica is a wonderful place to visit all year round. There are vibrant festivals celebrating everything from diving to calypso music, hiking to jazz.

]]>Every year there are festivals in Dominica to celebrate what makes our island special. These are six of the biggest and most spectacular events taking place in 2015 that visitors shouldn’t miss.

Carnival

Taking place usually in late February or early march, this is one of the most vibrant times to visit Dominica. As well as the calypso and steel pan music that you can experience all around the Caribbean, we still celebrate our traditional music and dances with masquerad songs called Chanté mas and Lapo kabrit, which is our own form of Carnival music, performed by masequerading partygoers in a two-day parade.

Dive Fest

Dominica is known to have some of the best diving in the Caribbean, and our annual Dive Fest in early July is the oldest diving festival in the region too. Join us for special The event whale watching trips and dive packages, snorkeling picnics, canoe racing, and marine educational tours.

Dominica Festival of Arts

This is a long running festival that stretches from April to June. It’s a showcase of our rich cultural heritage, with theatre and dance, along with theatrical and dance performances, concerts, and artistic workshops geared at developing local artistic expressions.

Hike Fest

Dominica is home to the Waitakubuli trail, the longest walking route in the Caribbean. In May each year locals and international visitors take to the trails – both long and short – to enjoy our rainforests and waterfalls, birdlife and beautiful views.

Jazz ‘n Creole

Held in the unique atmosphere of the Cabrits National Park, Jazz ‘n Creole is a celebration of some of music by local and international artists. As well as the main events in the park, there are always lots of fringe events, some of which take place here at the Fort Young each year.

World Creole Music Festival

For many this is the highlight of the festival year, taking place at the end of October. It’s the largest event in the world dedicated to all forms of creole music, from zouk to zydeco, and reggae to calypso, it attracts thousands of people each time, and the stars that turn out to wow the crowds are some of the biggest names in Creole music.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=40672014-11-18T08:56:42Z2014-11-18T08:56:42ZScuba divers in Dominica can now experience the services and standards they are used to at Bonaire’s Buddy Dive Resort. Proclaimed one of the World’s Best Dive Resorts in Scuba Diving magazine’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards, Buddy Dive Resort has announced partnership with Dominica’s Fort Young Hotel to open an on-site facility, Buddy Dive Dominica. “Buddy Dive has […]

]]>Scuba divers in Dominica can now experience the services and standards they are used to at Bonaire’s Buddy Dive Resort. Proclaimed one of the World’s Best Dive Resorts in Scuba Diving magazine’s 2013 Readers’ Choice Awards, Buddy Dive Resort has announced partnership with Dominica’s Fort Young Hotel to open an on-site facility, Buddy Dive Dominica.

“Buddy Dive has the reputation of keeping the needs of divers in mind, making it easy, comfortable and convenient for everyone. We’re thrilled to be able to bring our dive expertise and services to Dominica’s Fort Young Hotel,” commented Martien van der Valk, Owner of Buddy Dive Resort. “Buddy Dive Dominica will be a full service operation that combines the best of both worlds; extensive dive knowledge, facilities and resources, while providing divers with personal attention from the friendly dive staff that will become the familiar faces guests are greeted by on their next visit.”

From boat diving at Champagne Reef or Toucari to night diving on Fort Young Hotel’s house reef – these are just some of the exciting diving that will be offered at Buddy Dive Dominica.

“Announcing the partnership with Buddy Dive Resort is very exciting for Fort Young Hotel,” commented Gregor Nassief, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Fort Young Hotel. “Fort Young Hotel is Dominica’s leading full service hotel and has attracted a variety of business, adventure and dive travelers for many years. Joining forces with Buddy Dive and creating a world-class dive operation provides divers worldwide with the opportunity to experience Dominica’s magical diving while enjoying the comfort and service of Dominica’s leading hotel.”

Buddy Dive Dominica will be offering their Dive Into Nature package, which will showcase Dominica’s volcanic vents, plunging sea walls, colorful reefs and soft corals. The package includes 7 nights/8 days stay at the Fort Young Hotel, complimentary breakfast, airport transfers, 5 days 2-tank boat dives, unlimited resort diving, 5 dive excursions and the marine park fee. Dive Into Nature can be booked through Buddy Dive Central Reservations office at dominica@buddydive.com or for international reservations +599 7175080 (ext. 572) or for US/Canada reservations 1-866-GO-BUDDY.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=40612014-11-17T11:05:36Z2014-11-17T10:57:49ZDominica has some of the best diving sites in the world, and staying at the Fort Young is one of most convenient ways to enjoy as many as possible.

]]>Dominica is rightly known as the best dive location in the Caribbean, and one of the best in the world. We pick five of our favourite dive site in the waters around the nature island:

1: Dangleben’s Pinnacles

Depth: 35-80ft

Description: A fantastic maze formed from five pinnacles, covered with yellow sea fans and black coral. These cone formation are of varying shares and sizes with rocky outcroppings covered sponges, rods and crinoidsl

4: Champagne

Depth: 3-80ft

Description: Champagne Reef gets its name from the bubbles produced from the underwater hot springs, known as fumaroles, and divers (or snorkellers) swim in a never ending stream of bubbles escaping from the sea floor to the surface. it’s particularly spectacular at night, when you’ll be joined by giant crabs and lobsters.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=38772014-07-05T03:55:40Z2014-07-05T01:27:47ZGuests from all around the world already know The Fort Young is at the heart of their Dominica holidays. With the release of its new ‘Happy Video’ on social media, The Nature Island’s oldest hotel has shown its staff know how to have a good time too. Working with local production company 365mmp, the hotel […]

]]>Guests from all around the world already know The Fort Young is at the heart of their Dominica holidays. With the release of its new ‘Happy Video’ on social media, The Nature Island’s oldest hotel has shown its staff know how to have a good time too.

Working with local production company 365mmp, the hotel has cut its own video to accompany the music of Pharell’s global hit ‘Happy’ joining hundreds of versions from destinations around the world as far flung as New Caledonia, Madagascar and Paris.

What makes the Fort Young’s so special is that it is a celebration of its staff, with everyone from receptionists to chef, security guards to the maintenance team taking part. Of course any opportunity to dance will always reveal who has the best moves, and The Fort Young’s Happy video is no exception. While everyone displays great rhythm and joy, some of the team stand out: in particular Maintenance technician Alexis, who can be seen wining in slow motion, and Elvis Prosper, the security host who breakdances his way through the video. Even the Executive Chairman Gregor Nassief gets in on the act, showing he’s a mover and a shaker on the island in more than just business. “The Fort Young team loves what they do and we wanted to find a fun and exciting way to bring out that passion for us to celebrate and for everyone to see,” explained Gregor Nassief. “Happy employees leads to happy customers – it’s contagious.”

The video is also a wonderful showcase for the hotel’s recent refurbishment, with the action taking place in some of its most celebrated locations, from the new fine dining Palisades restaurant to the private waterfall and iconic jetty more often used for guests heading off on diving trips or wedding photos. Viewers are also taken behind the scenes with some rarely seen shots from inside the laundry, offices and kitchens. “Given the amount of time work takes from our lives, we had better be happy and passionate about what we do!,” explains Avril Karam who is HR Manager and the driving force behind the creation of Fort Young’s Happy Video. “This was the perfect project to highlight that and the staff were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. This is really just the beginning as we aim to create and sustain this happy culture at the Fort Young.”

The video has been released on Youtube: http://youtu.be/hjnsJIRjEwsand shared on social media with the hashtag #HappyDominica, encouraging people to share what makes them happy about the island, and thus spread the happiness even further. The Fort Young Hotel wants to acknowledge and thank Pharrell Williams for this brilliant song which has shown the world how contagious happiness can be.

About the Fort Young Hotel:

“Built into the original fort (first constructed in 1699), The Fort Young is Dominica’s leading hotel and a landmark in the capital city Roseau. The hotel has 32 original Fort rooms, 38 Oceanfront and Deluxe Oceanfront rooms, along with three suites, offering a combination of old world charm and spacious modern luxury. It features an on-site Dive Shop, Excursion Desk, Duty Free shopping as well as Massage & Wellness Center and Conference Rooms and free Wi-Fi throughout. “>The Fort Young Hotel serves as the perfect base for visitors to explore the island, whether for diving, leisure, business or shopping. For more information visit www.fortyounghotel.com.

About Dominica

In a region saturated by tourism, Dominica remains one of the hidden gems of the Caribbean. Known as the “Nature Island” due to its abundance of natural splendors: 365 rivers, the second largest boiling lake in the world, volcanoes, mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, black and white sand beaches; and below the water, volcanic vents, plunging sea walls, colorful reefs, soft corals, sea turtles and sperm whales. Much of the island is protected under national parks, one of which has been given UNESCO World Heritage status. Dominica is a paradise for divers, hikers, birdwatchers and nature-lovers.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=38622014-07-04T20:55:30Z2014-07-04T12:51:44ZAll over the world, people have been filming their own versions of Pharrell's huge hit song "Happy". The Fort Young Hotel has now created the first version filmed in Dominica

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In recent months Pharrell’s song ‘Happy’ has become a global mega-hit song and spawned hundreds of versions from destinations around the world as far flung as New Caledonia, Madagascar and Paris. And with the release today of the Fort Young’s own version, the craze has now reached Dominica.

The video has been posted on Youtube and shared on social media with the hashtag #HappyDominica, encouraging people to share what makes them happy about the island, and thus spread the happiness even further. For us at Fort Young this video is a celebration of our staff, with everyone from receptionists to chef, security guards to the maintenance team taking part.

Of course any opportunity to dance will always reveal who has the best moves, and our Happy video is no exception. Have a look at the film and you’ll see that while everyone displays great rhythm and joy, some of the team stand out: in particular maintenance technician Alexis, who can be seen wining in slow motion, and Elvis Prosper, the security host who breakdances his way through the video. Even our Executive Chairman Gregor Nassief gets in on the act, showing he’s a mover and a shaker on the island in more than just business. “The Fort Young team loves what they do and we wanted to find a fun and exciting way to bring out that passion for us to celebrate and for everyone to see,” explained Gregor Nassief. “Happy employees leads to happy customers – it’s contagious.”

The video is also a wonderful showcase for some of the hotel’s recent refurbishment, with the action taking place in some of our most celebrated locations, from the new fine dining Palisades restaurant to the private waterfall and iconic jetty more often used for guests heading off on diving trips or wedding photos. Viewers are also taken behind the scenes with some rarely seen shots from inside the laundry, offices and kitchens. “Given the amount of time work takes from our lives, we had better be happy and passionate about what we do!,” explains Avril Karam who is HR Manager and the driving force behind the creation of Fort Young;s Happy Video. “This was the perfect project to highlight that and the staff were absolutely fantastic from start to finish. This is really just the beginning as we aim to create and sustain this happy culture at the Fort Young.”

We’d love to know what you think, and help us spread some #HappyDominica vibes around the world by sharing the video or letting everyone know your own #HappyDominica moments on twitter or facebook.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://www.fortyounghotel.com/?p=38332014-05-27T17:34:29Z2014-05-27T17:20:32ZProperty is the Ideal Place to Experience the Best Diving in the Caribbean Roseau, Dominica – May 19th 2014 – Seeking to enhance Dominica’s growing reputation as the number one dive spot in the Caribbean, the Fort Young Hotel has launched a special summer all inclusive package aimed at travellers wanting to focus their holiday […]

]]>Property is the Ideal Place to Experience the Best Diving in the Caribbean

Roseau, Dominica – May 19th 2014 – Seeking to enhance Dominica’s growing reputation as the number one dive spot in the Caribbean, the Fort Young Hotel has launched a special summer all inclusive package aimed at travellers wanting to focus their holiday around diving. The new All Inclusive Summer Dive Package gives divers the chance to enjoy a huge amount of time underwater, fully aware that everything has been taken care of back on land, leaving them the maximum amount of time to enjoy themselves on and off shore.

The All-inclusive Summer Dive package starts at US$1,541 per person based on double occupancy. It is valid on new reservations made between now and October 10, 2014 for travel between June 1st and October 15th 2014. Also available and customizable for groups, the package includes accommodations for seven nights, all meals and in-house beverages, and five days of 2 tank dive trips (ten dives) with visits to some of the Nature Island’s best loved dive sites. These include Champagne, where volcanic fumaroles beneath the sea bed fill the water around you with thousands of bubbles; the five dramatic coral-covered spires known as Danglebens Pinnacles, and the 1.5km long wall La Bym, where divers might just encounter a turtle or manta ray idling by. There will be plenty of time to discover why, this March, Scuba Radio said Dominica, “consistently delivers the best in Caribbean diving, if not the world“.

What really makes Fort Young the perfect hotel for a dive vacation in Dominica is how its facilities cater to divers. There’s an on-site dive shop as well as the hotel’s own jetty – itself an iconic site on the island, especially at sunset – where dive boats collect and drop divers off. The jetty is also the embarkation point for world class whale watching, and snorkelling trips from the hotel, as well as the romantic setting for many weddings.

Many of the island’s best dive sites are just 20 minutes or so from the hotel by boat. As a result of its unrivalled facilities and location, The Fort Young Hotel was chosen earlier this year to be the Dominica partner for Guy Harvey Outposts, a Florida-based specialist tour operator, which takes American guests on some of the finest marine holidays in Mexico, Galapagos, the Bahamas, Grand Cayman… and now Dominica.

Once back on land, divers can just sit back and relax. All meals are included in the package, along with any in house alcoholic beverage. And because the diving is so accessible from the hotel, there’s still plenty of time available to explore the rainforests for which Dominica is equally famous, and which are just as easy to reach from Fort Young. Or, guests can simply unwind in one of the hotel’s rooftop Jacuzzis, swim a few laps of the infinity pool, or enjoy dinner or drinks in its oceanfront restaurant and bars.

About the Fort Young Hotel:

Built into the original fort (first constructed in 1699), The Fort Young is Dominica’s leading hotel and a landmark in the capital city Roseau. The hotel has 32 original Fort rooms, 38 Oceanfront and Deluxe Oceanfront rooms, along with three suites, offering a combination of old world charm and spacious modern luxury. It features an on-site Dive Shop, Excursion Desk, Duty Free shopping as well as Massage & Wellness Center and Conference Rooms and free Wi-Fi throughout. The Fort Young Hotel serves as the perfect base for visitors to explore the island, whether for business, diving, leisure or shopping. For more information, visit www.fortyounghotel.com

About Dominica

In a region saturated by tourism, Dominica remains one of the hidden gems of the Caribbean. Known as the “Nature Island” due to its abundance of natural splendors: 365 rivers, the second largest boiling lake in the world, volcanoes, mountains, waterfalls, hot springs, black and white sand beaches; and below the water, volcanic vents, plunging sea walls, colorful reefs, soft corals, sea turtles and sperm whales. Much of the island is protected under national parks, one of which has been given UNESCO World Heritage status. Dominica is a paradise for divers, hikers, birdwatchers and nature-lovers.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://fortyounghotel.com/?p=36142014-03-10T21:03:34Z2014-03-10T20:53:08ZLet’s Paint the town and all that Jazz 3 nights Accommodation Daily full Breakfast Ticket to the main stage Jazz and Creole event at Cabrits Enjoy Jazz and Creole Fringe events Package starting at US$ 350 per person in a Fort Room Travel Period Now till May 8th 2014.

]]>0fortyounghotelhttp://fortyounghotel.com/?p=36002014-03-10T20:22:40Z2014-03-10T20:20:20Z“June too Soon” “September must Remember “ Catering to our Business Travelers. Enjoy 20% off on corporate Bookings Book and Oceanfront or Deluxe Oceanfront Room and receive US$ 20 Resort credit per room. Bring the spouse along and we will treat them to a Complimentary neck and back massage plus 25% off on all […]